1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of personnel transport apparatus, and specifically to elevators and similar devices for transporting people from one location to another which incorporate various information technologies.
2. Description of Related Technology
Elevators and similar personnel transport devices (such as moving walkways or shuttles) are important aspects of modern urban life. Commonly used in office buildings, airports, shopping malls, and other large structures, these devices transport large numbers of people and equipment between two locations on a routine basis. Elevators in particular are widely used throughout the world.
Depending on loading, a person may spend up to several minutes on an elevator during travel between floors. Significant amounts of time may also be spent waiting for the elevator to arrive when called. This time is usually xe2x80x9cdeadxe2x80x9d from the standpoint that very little can be accomplished or very few tasks undertaken during these few minutes. However, often times an individual may require information which will be of use after leaving the elevator. For example, the person may wish to obtain travel information such as directions to the nearest airport or public transportation node, or the location of a nearby restaurant. Weather-related information or traffic reports may also be useful. A plethora of different types of information, including financial data, breaking news headlines, sports scores and the like may also be of interest to one waiting for or riding on an elevator or other transport device.
An associated problem relates to determining the location of a person, firm, or store within a building when unfamiliar. Building directories are often posted in the lobby of the building, yet these require the user to manually or visually locate the name of the person, firm, or store which they are looking for, and remember the location information associated therewith. Additionally, such directories often do not provide precise location information, but rather merely a floor number and/or suite number. The user often times does not have a graphical representation of the desired location in relation to the elevators, thereby resulting in additional wasted time in finding the location once off of the elevator. Even if a graphical display is provided, it often requires the user to spatially orient themselves to determine relative location.
Security is also a concern when riding elevators late at night or to remote locations. Many elevator systems are used partly or entirely within parking garages, which often may be sparsely populated at off hours. People are all too frequently assaulted or robbed when departing from elevators under such conditions. Unfortunately, existing elevator systems do not have the facility to provide the occupant(s) with the ability to selectively observe the area immediately surrounding the elevator doors on one or more destination floors, or otherwise take precautions to enhance their security.
Another problem associated with existing elevator systems relates to their loading capacity. Often, especially at peak use hours such as during the noon hour, the call buttons for several different floors within a building will be activated, and elevator cars which are at or near their loading capacity will respond. With no additional room available in the elevator, the person depressing the call button on a given floor is left to wait for the elevator doors to close, depress the call button again, and wait for another (hopefully partially vacant) car to arrive. This process not only delays the person waiting for the car, but also those on the elevator car(s), and those waiting on other floors.
In addition to the foregoing, many elevators must have a means of restricting access to certain floors during certain time periods while not interfering with other operations. These elevators generally also include means by which certain users may gain access to the restricted floors, such as a magnetic striped card which is inserted into a card reader on the elevator. However, such card readers are prone to wear and having to re-swipe the card several times in order to obtain access. Furthermore, as the card wears due to repeated swiping or bending (such as when left in the pocket of the individual carrying the card), the card will be more prone to failure and will eventually require replacement. Also, such cards are prone to unauthorized use. Someone stealing or finding the lost card can simply insert it into the card reader of the elevator and gain access to the restricted floor(s). It is also noted that since access is restricted to certain floors typically during late-night or weekend hours, HVAC and lighting systems are typically turned off or dormant in order to conserve energy. Hence, when the user arrives at one of these restricted access floors, several minutes are typically spent turning on the HVAC, lights, and any other number of electrical devices. Some systems require the user to insert their magnetic strip card in a separate reader, such as in the control room for the HVAC (which is typically located on a different floor), in order to initiate equipment operation. This is obviously time consuming and cumbersome.
Lastly, there is often an element of discomfort associated with riding an elevator car, especially when several individuals are present in the car. Due in part to minimal space within the car and nothing to occupy the occupants attention visually, there is a natural tendency for one to stare up, down, or forward at the door of the elevator, or at the visual floor indicators so as to avoid prolonged eye contact with the other occupants.
Heretofore, many of the technologies necessary to address the aforementioned issues have not been available or, alternatively, have been cost or space prohibitive to implement. However, recent advances in data networking, thin or flat panel display technology, personal electronics, and speech recognition and compression algorithms and processing have enhanced the viability of such features from both technological and commercial perspectives.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for an improved elevator system and method of operation which will reduce the time spent waiting for and travelling on the elevator car, reduce the frustration associated with repeated stops at different floors, and allow the occupants of the elevator (as well as those waiting for the car) to use their time more efficiently and obtain needed information. Additionally, such an elevator system would enhance the security of the occupants upon egress, and allow for automatic recognition of an individual in order to provide access to certain restricted locations and initiation of certain functions such as lighting and HVAC.
The present invention satisfies the aforementioned needs by providing an improved elevator information and control system and method of operating the same
In a first aspect, the present invention provides an improved elevator information and control system which enables an user to rapidly locate a desired firm or individual. In a first embodiment, the system includes an interactive building directory having a speech recognition system and other input device such as a touch pad. The user utilizes the input device to activate the system, and then speaks the name of the firm or individual whose location is desired. A speech generation algorithm and processor generates speech (and/or a graphical representation via a minimum profile flat panel display) based on data retrieved from a database per the user""s request. The user is also prompted to determine if they desire to select the floor of the firm or individual that they were trying to locate. The user then may use the speech recognition system, or alternatively the aforementioned input device, to respond. The database also maintains data on other nearby buildings in case the user is at the wrong location.
In a second aspect of the invention, the information and control system further includes a network interface that is coupled to the aforementioned input and display devices. In one embodiment, the network (e.g., Internet) interface is configured to provide rapid access to a variety of web sites or URLs of interest, such as those providing local weather, directions from the elevator to local points of interest, stock market quotations, breaking news headlines, etc. Preset functions are provided which enable the user to access, download, and display the desired information with a single actuation of the input device. A plurality of different input/display devices are disposed within the smart elevator to allow multiple occupants to obtain information simultaneously.
In a third aspect of the invention, the smart elevator includes one or more data terminals which are compatible with personal electronic devices (PEDs) so as to allow an occupant of the elevator to download a predetermined or adaptively determined xe2x80x9cpackagexe2x80x9d of data for later retrieval or use. Such data may include news, weather, financial data, listings of building tenants, firm resumes, parking rates, hours of operation, and the like. In one embodiment, the download of data is initiated automatically upon the insertion of the PED into the data terminal, thereby reducing the time necessary to download to a minimum.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, the information and control system includes a sensor array and logic which detects the loading of the elevator car and selectively bypasses floors when the car""s capacity is met, unless the floor is selected by one of the occupants of the car. In one embodiment, the flooring of the elevator car is equipped with piezoelectric sensors that generate signals based on the pressure applied to them. This pressure is correlated to the weight and location of the occupants in the car, and with the number of different floors selected, to derive an estimate of the occupancy. When the capacity of the elevator is reached as determined by this estimate, any subsequent call signals received by the system are routed to another available car.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, the aforementioned display device within the car may be configured to provide a video display of the area immediately surrounding access to the elevator on certain floors, such as parking garages. The user can over-ride the car stopping at that floor if desired, contact security, and/or initiate temporary additional lighting in the area via a series of fixed or xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d function keys. A motion sensor is also optionally used to provide the elevator user with information regarding the presence of moving objects in areas adjacent to but out of view of the video units. When accessing a parking garage or structure, the user may also input the location of their car using additional function keys; lighting and security monitoring of the path between the elevator and the car is then initiated to enhance user safety.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, an RFID tag and reader system is employed to uniquely identify occupants and provide them access to certain floors. RFID monitors with limited ranges are placed in certain locations near the elevator access points. These monitors interrogate the RFID tags and initiate a call signal for specific floor during after-hours operation. The user is then required to authenticate via a password input via the input device located inside elevator. The elevator system can optionally notify security (and/or the destination floor) of the individual""s destination and identity, and maintain a record of access. The user may also optionally perform other functions such as lighting and environmental control from the elevator. The user""s RFID tag may also be programmed to interface with the aforementioned PED data download device such that the tag pre-configures the system for download.
In an seventh aspect of the invention, the aforementioned display devices and information and control system are programmed to provide adaptive advertising or information display. In one embodiment, the speech recognition system previously described is used to select and display information based on one or more parameters including statistical or anecdotal sampling of the speech patterns of the occupants. Alternatively, information entered via the aforementioned input device (and network interface) may be used as a determinant in the adaptive advertising system.